Archive for January 2017

This movement for California to secede from the United States is not the first for a state, and it’s not the first for California. However, it got a lot of press in the last few days, emphatically linked to frustration with our new President. Much of the press coverage was poorly researched, flamboyantly titled click bait that wasn’t worth the click.

But that didn’t stop a host of people on the fringe from trumpeting the boldness, the rightness, the goodness of the idea of secession.

Those people must have forgotten about the states that tried to secede over 150 years ago … and it didn’t end well for them.

I am not entertained. I am flabbergasted that people can discuss this idea with a straight face.

It’s a horrible idea for all of America. And, it will never, ever happen.

For starters, many headlines screamed that California would vote to secede later this year. That is a barefaced lie.

Here’s what actually did happen: a public initiative has been accepted by California’s Office of the Attorney General as a possible ballot proposition for the fall of 2018, if the promoters can gather the required 585,407 “wet” signatures of registered voters in California. These signatures must be done in ink … hence the term “wet” signatures. Online petitions or other social media exploits do not work for this process. Most initiatives hire paid signature gatherers for this task; the “Yes California” committee says they have thousands of volunteers (variously reported as 9,000 to 13,000+) that will gather the signatures. That low budget, volunteer strategy rarely works for such efforts. In any event, they have until July 25 to submit the signatures, at which point the state will evaluate the signatures for validity, and either certify the proposition for the fall 2018 ballot, or, more likely, end the effort at that point.

However, if the committee succeeds in gathering enough signatures, then the first vote will take place. Voters will be asked to approve a proposition that the California state constitution be revised twice: 1) to delete a reference to California being inseparable from the US, and further, 2) delete a sentence stating that the US Constitution is the supreme law of California. If that proposition passes with over 50% of the vote, THEN…

A special election is called for March 2019, when California voters will vote on whether or not they want California to secede from the United States. IF 50% of the voters do vote, and IF 55% of the voters vote YES, then the Governor is instructed to petition the UN for California to join as a member nation … and California would then seek to find a way to legally secede from the US.

And experts say there is no constitutional path to do so. In fact, experts think that the only way a state could secede is if a constitutional amendment were passed … which requires 38 states and 2/3 of the House and Senate to approve. That’s an unlikely event on any topic these days. An alternative solution would be for 2/3 of the states to hold a constitutional convention, which is something that has never happened in our history. Experts even disagree if the convention could be limited to a single topic, and many believe that any amendment could be suggested at such a constitutional convention. After the convention, IF a constitutional amendment that’s on point were passed, THEN 38 of the states would have to approve the amendment before California could Calexit.

As of today, there have been 33 constitutional amendments submitted to the states for approval. Of those, 27 have been passed. Could Calexit make it 28? I sincerely hope not.

Here’s the text of the initiative that’s been approved by the Attorney General’s office for the signature gathering effort. Note that “tens of millions of dollars of one-time state and local elections costs” would result from the approval of this proposition … and THEN we only have to amend the US Constitution for this to have any impact.

Repeals provision in California Constitution stating California is an inseparable part of the United States and that the United States Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Places question of whether California should become a separate country on a future ballot. Treats result of such future vote as declaration of independence from the United States if 50 percent of registered voters participate and 55 percent of those voting approve. Requires Governor to request California admission to the United Nations if voters approve independence. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: The fiscal impact of this measure is dependent on various factors, including a vote by the people on this measure, a subsequent vote on California independence, possible legal challenges, and implementation issues. Assuming that California actually became an independent nation, the state and its local governments would experience major, but unknown, budgetary impacts. This measure also would result in tens of millions of dollars of one-time state and local election costs.

And just for a little added spice … did you hear that Russia’s involved? The man behind this initiative, Louis J. Marinelli, is a US citizen that lives in Russia with his Russian wife, and works as a school teacher. He’s met with a group that allegedly has ties to the Kremlin. The Yes California website, however, emphatically states that Russia is not funding this effort.

So if you believe Russia influenced the US election, then ….

And publications as illustrious as the Wall Street Journal and the LA Times are taking this seriously?

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Bald eagle in flight at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Photo by Bert van Mackelenbergh. From the US Department of the Interior blog, 10/12/16.

Painted bunting standing on the forest floor at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. Photo by Steve Sinclair. From the US Department of the Interior blog, 10/12/16.

Piping plovers on the beach at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts. Photo by Kaiti Titherinton, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. From the US Department of the Interior blog, 10/12/16.

Western Tanager perched on a tree branch. Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. From the US Department of the Interior blog, 10/12/16.

Snowy egret landing on the water at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey. Photo by Ray Hennessy. From the US Department of the Interior blog, 10/12/16.

White-faced ibis at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Utah. Photo courtesy of Leslie Scopes Anderson, National Wildlife Refuge Association. From the US Department of the Interior blog, 10/12/16.

Greater Roadrunner standing by a lake. Photo by Bureau of Reclamation research camera. From the US Department of the Interior blog, 10/12/16.

Roseate spoonbills standing in shallow water at Everglades National Park in Florida. Photo by Jose Mirabal. From the US Department of the Interior blog, 10/12/16.

Belted kingfisher at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware. Photo by Dee Langevin. From the US Department of the Interior blog, 10/12/16.

Brown pelicans on a rocky shoreline. Photo by Roy W. Lowe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Tucked away in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park is a gem of a waterfall: Union Falls. Photo by H. Kajitani. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 9/26/16.

Comprised of 4 million acres in southwest Alaska, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is one of the nation’s most remote national parks. Winter conditions add more challenges to those wanting to explore this gorgeous and diverse landscape, but as you can see, the backcountry scenes are worth the cold. Photo of Tanalian Falls by James Walton, National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 1/17/17.

Rains eventually turned to snow, but not before they coated everything with ice in the Kulm Wetland Management Distric in North Dakota. Photo by Krista Lundgren/USFWS. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 1/28/17.

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Zion National Park’s reddish rocks wear a coat of snow in this serene winter photo from last January. After winter storms, snow can disappear within just a few hours at lower elevations, making these magical sights short-lived. If you’re visiting, be sure to check with the park for the most recent conditions and closures. Photo by Sierra Coon, National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 1/19/17.

A gorgeous frosty morning at Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. Photo by Michelle Olmstead. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 1/24/17.

A wintry sunset over Lake McDonald in Montana’s Glacier National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 1/24/17.

Snowy trees and an open meadow in Sequoia National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 1/15/17.

Explore a winter wonderland: Soda Butte Creek at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Andrew Slaton. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 1/19/17.

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Icy water reflects the sunset at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey. More than 80 percent of the refuge’s 47,000 acres is wetlands. The quiet tidal waters serve as nurseries, spawning and feeding grounds for fish and shellfish, which are important in the diets of many wildlife species – particularly the migratory birds who live and visit here. Photo by Kris Orr. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 1/23/17.